In one aspect, the present invention relates to wearable apparatus for noninvasive determinations of the concentration of oxygen in a specific target region of tissue. More specifically, the present invention discloses a user-wearable system for monitoring the oxygen concentration, or oxygenation trend, in the tissue of a subject undergoing aerobic stress, such as an exercising person.
The increasing popularity of all forms of exercise over the last several decades has also lead to an increased interest in the measurement of individual athletic performance. However, at the present time, athletes are limited to obtaining heartbeat and blood pressure data while they are exercising. Although of some use, these data do not reflect peripheral circulatory capacity or the oxygenation state of specific muscle tissue.
In order to measure oxygen delivery to the capillary bed of the muscles, an athlete must be tethered to electrocardiogram apparatus and have blood samples drawn while running on a treadmill. These are essentially operating room apparatus and procedures, which do not simulate the actual conditions of exercise. The measurement of aerobic efficiency by analyzing the oxygenation state of a particular muscle while exercising is important due to a variety of reasons. For example, as a casual jogger strives to become a marathon runner, the efficiency at which he/she uses oxygen can severely impact performance; data reflecting the utilization of oxygen can provide information which allows an athlete to change pacing strategies or otherwise adjust their activity to produce better results. Other athletes, such as swimmers, cyclists and rowers would also find this information useful for evaluating performance. However, the use of blood oxygenation data is not limited to competitive athletes; even geriatrics who undergo mild aerobic exercise to maintain and improve their health can benefit from data concerning the changes in blood oxygenation brought about by exercise or other activity. Other animals, such as racehorses, can also benefit from this type of performance data. By measuring the oxygen delivery to the muscles, both the quality of training and the natural ability to exercise may be evaluated.
In addition to monitoring and maximizing athletic performance, information pertaining to the delivery of oxygen to the limbs and the brain is important in military and space applications where changes in gravity and other stresses may result in fatigue, and ultimately, blackouts.
Although apparatuses which measure the oxygenation content of blood using data collected from a fingertip or ear lobe are available, these devices do not actually measure the oxygenation state of nearby muscle groups or the brain. To monitor athletic performance, or the condition of exerted muscles, data collection must be performed at the site of interest. For example, runners will wish to be provided with this information during a race, not in a laboratory. Therefore, for an apparatus measuring the metabolic condition of an athlete to be truly useful, a rugged, lightweight, user-wearable system must be provided.
One method by which the oxygen level in a muscle may be measured is tissue spectrometry. For example, red and near-red light, having wavelengths between about 600-800 nanometers (nm), will harmlessly penetrate body tissues. As the light penetrates the tissue, it migrates and is absorbed by deoxygenated hemoglobin in small blood vessels. Normally, tissue receives oxygen from hemoglobin-contained in red blood cells, which circulate in the major blood vessels and eventually into the capillary bed, supplying muscle tissue with oxygen. Aerobic activity can cause the level of oxygen use to rise, causing a commensurate rise in the level of deoxyhemoglobin which is compensated for by increased blood flow in trained individuals. Near-red light is absorbed by tissue that is not receiving as much oxygen at the surrounding tissue due to increased levels of deoxyhemoglobin in less trained individuals. Thus, by determining the amount of incident radiation absorbed, the oxygenation state of a specific area of tissue, and the training level of an individual, can be determined.
The present invention also relates to a study of the linkage between cerebral activity and oxygen delivery and oxidative metabolism in the brain tissue. During a brain activity, blood flow can be studied using PET or NMR. Faster electrical and magnetic responses can be measured using EEG and MEG. While these techniques eventually might be able to provide examination and screening for neuronal deterioration and/or deterioration of brain function, they are relatively expensive and not suitable for emergency treatment situations wherein the diagnostic equipment should be taken to a patient. Optical techniques, on the other hand, might provide A suitable, cost effective alternative for examination and screening of a tissue of an organ.
The present invention provides a novel, wearable system for determining the metabolic condition of an aerobically stressed portion of the muscle tissue of an exercising person. The system comprises a lightweight rugged detector, worn against the skin surface of the subject, adjacent to the muscle being monitored. The system of the present invention thus minimizes any performance impairment. The preferred system further comprises a wearable power pack and a wearable display means for displaying information indicative of the aerobic metabolic condition of the region being monitored. In a preferred embodiment intended for use while running or engaged in similar athletic activities, the display is worn on the wrist and displays information from a leg-mounted detector. In another embodiment, intended to provide information to coaches, a telemetry system is employed to transmit a signal carrying the data from the detector to a remote location, for processing and display.
The detector of the present invention preferably employs a continuous wave spectrophotometer having one or more sources of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths between about 760 nanometers and about 800 nanometers directed into the tissue of the subject. The detector is efficiently coupled to the body tissue and utilizes the principle of photon migration to detect the portion of the transmitted radiation arriving at an adjacent skin region.
The present invention also discloses methods for displaying the aerobic metabolic condition of a subject. The percentage of deoxyhemoglobin in the blood of the subject is determined, and a signal representative of this percentage is converted into a graphic representation. The display may preferably be a digital display, a bar graph or a series of deoxyhemoglobin levels, placed on a time scale.
It is an object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus which allow a rapid determination of the oxygenation state of tissue, such as muscle tissue, located beneath the surface of the skin of a subject, such as an athlete, without requiring the subject to be tethered or physically connected to laboratory or operating room monitoring equipment.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide apparatus which may be attached to a user which would determine the oxygenation state of a portion of the user""s body and provide that information in a readily Understandable form.
It is a further object of certain embodiments of the present invention to provide information pertaining to the oxygenation state of tissue directly to a user wearing the apparatus of the present invention.
It is another object of certain embodiments of the present invention to transmit information pertaining to the oxygenation state of tissue to a remote observer.
According to one aspect of the invention, an oximeter is provided for determining the oxygenation state of localized body tissue per se, constructed to be worn over a period of activity by a user and comprising a flexible, body-conformable support member which supports, adjacent the skin of a user, over the localized tissue of interest, at least a pair of spaced apart light sources, and intermediate thereof, at least a pair of wavelength-specific photo detectors, each light source exposed to transmit wavelengths of both of the specific wavelengths toward the localized tissue of interest lying below the skin and below the associated subcutaneous fat layer of the user, and each detector exposed to receive photons of the respective specific wavelength that have originated from each light source, and scattered from the localized tissue and passed back to the detectors through the subcutaneous fat layer and skin of the user, the support member including conformable barrier means disposed between each light source and the detectors, the barrier means being of substance capable of conforming to the contour of the wearer and preventing light energy proceeding laterally in the region of the barrier means from reaching the detectors.
Somewhat more generally, according to another aspect of the invention, an oximeter is provided for determining the oxygenation state of localized body tissue per se, constructed to be worn over a period of activity by a user and comprising a flexible support member which supports, over the localized tissue of interest, at least a pair of spaced apart light sources, and intermediate thereof, at least a pair of wave length-specific light detectors (e.g., photo detectors), each light source exposed to transmit wavelengths of both of the specific wavelengths toward the localized tissue of interest, and each detector exposed to receive photons of the respective specific wavelength that have originated from each light source, and scattered from the localized tissue and passed back to the detectors.
Preferred embodiments of these aspects of the invention have one or more of the following features.
The light sources comprise broad spectrum CW light sources.
The light sources comprise tungsten filament lamps.
The oximeter includes control means for simultaneously flashing the light sources to enable each detector to pick up light energy at its specific wavelength simultaneously from each light source.
Means are provided to flash the light sources at selected intervals unrelated to the interval of heart beats of the user.
According to another aspect of the invention, an oximeter is provided comprising a flexible support member comprised of a molded-elastomeric backing member, the backing member mounting at least one light source means capable of producing one or more (e.g., two) selected wavelengths and oriented to direct the light to tissue of a user and the backing member also mounting detector means capable of separately detecting energy at each of the wavelengths scattered by tissue of the user, integral elastomeric portions of the backing member defining a barrier exposed for conformable contact with an exposed surface of the user, in position to prevent lateral movement of light in subcutaneous layers from the Source means to the detector means.
According to another aspect of the invention, an oximeter is provided comprising a flexible support member, the support member mounting at least one light source means Capable of producing two selected wavelengths and oriented to direct the light to tissue of a user and the support member mounting detector means capable of separately detecting energy at each of the wavelengths scattered by tissue of the user, the support member supporting a barrier member exposed for conformable contact with an exposed surface of the user in position to prevent lateral movement of light from the source means to the detector means, the barrier comprising a member having an edge sized and positioned to indent skin and the flesh of the user thereby to intercept light migrating laterally in the subcutaneous fat layer and prevent such light from reaching said detector means.
Preferred embodiments of these aspects of the invention have one or more of the following features.
The barrier member is elastomeric, adapted to conform to the contour of the skin of the wearer.
The flexible support member comprises a molded-elastomeric backing member and the barrier member is integral with the backing member.
The member defining the flesh-indenting edge is about 0.5 cm thick in the region that engages the skin.
The barrier member comprises a rib-form member.
There are in series at least one (e.g., two) barrier members, one closely adjacent to the light source means and one closely adjacent to the detector means.
The support member mounts at least one (e.g., two) spaced-apart light sources and at least one (e.g., a pair) of detectors are disposed parallel to each other, disposed laterally relative to the line between the light sources and equal distance from each of the light sources.
The light sources comprise broad spectrum CW light sources.
Electronic control circuitry for the light source and the detector means are provided in which the circuitry is disposed upon a miniature semiconductor chip carried by the support member.
Electronic control circuitry is provided comprised of entirely non-magnetic components enabling use of the device in conjunction with nuclear magnetic resonance imaging.
The oximeter is combined with a real-time readout device constructed to be worn by the user and having a display responsive to the oximeter disposed for viewing by the user.
The oximeter is associated with means securing it to an appendage of the user and the readout device is constructed to be worn by a user.
The oximeter is combined with radio frequency telemetry means for transmitting oximeter data on a real time basis to a station remote from the user or to a receiver in a readout device constructed to be worn by a user.
The oximeter includes electronic control circuitry for the light source and the detector means, the circuitry disposed upon a miniature semiconductor Chip carried by the support member in combination with radio frequency telemetry means controlled by the circuitry for transmitting oximeter data on a real time basis to a station remote from the user.
Means are provided for battery-operation of the oximeter and to record oximetry data in internal digital memory for subsequent display or data analysis on a computer.
The oximeter includes electronic control circuitry for the light source and the detector means, the circuitry disposed upon a miniature semiconductor chip carried by the support member, and means for battery operation of the oximeter and means to record oximetry data in internal digital memory for subsequent display or data analysis on a computer.
According to still another device aspect of the invention, an oximeter is provided comprising a support mounting a light source and detector means at fixed spacing, and electronic control circuitry for the light source and the detector means, the circuitry disposed upon a miniature semiconductor chip carried by the support member, the oximeter encapsulated in biocompatible, water impermeable material, the oximeter constructed and arranged for implantation under the skin of a user for monitoring internal tissue oxygen trends.
The invention also features a number of methods. The method is provided of monitoring the derivative or rate of change of the time based curve representing detected change of tissue oxygen levels and blood volume and employing these rates as a quantitative standard of measurement of tissue oximetry.
The method is provided of assisting an aviator or other person engaged in activity that can subject the person to high G-forces including providing to the person a comfortable oximeter sensor suitable to be worn about the head (e.g., either integrally in a helmet or helmet lining) and capable of responding to tissue oxygen level and blood volume of brain tissue on a real time basis, employing the oximeter sensor to monitor oxygen level of brain tissue of the wearer as the wearer engages in the activity, comparing the monitored value to a standard and generating a signal, such as a warning or control signal, in the event the monitored level(s) violate(s) a pre-established standard.
Preferably, the oximeter is constructed to monitor the trend of oxygen level in the brain, and means are provided to evaluate the rate of change being detected and using the rate of change as the control value and alarm reference.
The method is provided of monitoring a person suspect of sleep apnea or sudden infant death syndrome including providing to the person a comfortable oximeter sensor capable of automatically responding to oxygen level of the person while permitting the person to sleep, automatically monitoring the output of the oximeter by comparing it to a standard and generating a signal, such as a warning or control signal, in the event the monitored level violates a pre-established standard. Preferably the oximeter sensor is taped comfortably to the head for monitoring. Also, preferably the method is used in conjunction with impedance pneumography (breathing rate measurement using chest-wall impedance) and/or EKG to provide an effective in-home apnea monitor to alarm the patient or other individuals in the area so as to wake the patient and prevent hypoxic tissue damage during sleep.
The method is provided of monitoring the cerebral tissue oxygen rate of change as a means of triggering alarm to awaken a subject in danger of infarct due to hypoxia.
The method is provided of monitoring both tissue oxygen level and blood volume in skin flaps such as are produced either by wound or surgery, as the flaps heal, the separation between the source and the detector being established in relation to the thickness of the skin flap to ensure tissue of the flap per se is being monitored.
The method is provided of emergency monitoring of cerebral tissue oxygen level and blood volume in an emergency care situation with the implantable device, in this case, preferably a stand-alone oximeter carried on a backing member with micro-circuitry to monitor the brain or other tissues in peril of damage due to hypoxia.
The method is provided of employing the device of any of the configurations described above wherein the oxygen levels, blood volume and/or rate of charge are measured in cancerous tissue to indicate the activity and viability of the tissue. Also preferably the method includes monitoring of the viability of a tumor following treatment intended to wipe out the cancerous tissue.
Another aspect of the invention is a helmet into which is molded a tissue oximeter in position to engage the head of the wearer when the helmet is put on, the oximeter being of the NIR type, comprising light source means for transmitting near infrared light into the head, detector means held in spaced position relative to the light source means for receiving light scattered by brain tissue and a barrier disposed to engage the head between the light source means and the detector means to prevent light traveling laterally from the light source means from reaching the detector means. Preferably the oximeter has other features described above. In particular, preferably, the oximeter in the helmet includes control circuitry on a miniature chip and preferably means are provided for determining the rate of change of oximetry readings and for comparing the rate of change to a standard and, e.g. producing an appropriate alarm and/or control signal.
Another feature of the invention is a tissue oximeter comprising a support, a detector fixed to the support and a light source mounted in an adjustable manner to the support to enable selection of the spacing between light source and detector for adjusting the mean depth of tissue to which the oximeter responds,
Still another feature of the invention is a tissue oximeter in combination with means connected to receive tissue oxygen readings from the oximeter, and to determine the rate of change of the readings, the rate of change serving as a quantified indication of the state of the charging metabolic process of the tissue.
Another feature of the invention is an oximeter as described, disposed on an endoscope, catheter or guidewire or the like for insertion via a body passage to internal tissue, and including means such as an inflatable balloon to press the oximeter sensor against the localized tissue of interest. Another feature includes providing a water impermeable coating over the device for use in the presence of water.
Somewhat more generally, according to another aspect of the invention, a cognition spectrophotometer system for transcranial examination of brain activity by measuring changes in electromagnetic radiation scattered and absorbed in a migration path in the brain is provided. The cognition system comprises a light source adapted to introduce electromagnetic radiation of a selected wavelength into the brain at an input port placed at a selected location on the exterior of the head; a detector adapted to detect, at a detection port placed at a selected location on the exterior of the head, radiation of the selected wavelength that has migrated in the brain; stimulation means adapted to cause stimulation of a brain activity while introducing the selected wavelength and while detecting radiation at the detection port; processing means adapted to process signals of the detected radiation that has migrated in the brain to create processed data, and evaluation means adapted to determine a characteristic of the brain activity by correlating the processed data with the caused stimulation of the brain activity.
Preferred embodiments of this aspect of the invention have one or more of the following features. Processing means adapted to process detected radiation that has migrated in the brain in the migration path between the input port and the output port being separated by a predetermined distance and being located at different locations on the exterior of the head.
The input port and the output port are located on the frontal bone, parietal bone, temporal bone or occipital bone, wherein the input port and the output port being separated by a predetermined distance in order to localize the migration of the radiation to a selected region of the brain. The predetermined distance can be 4 centimeters.
The system can also have a second light source adapted to introduce electromagnetic radiation of the selected wavelength into the brain at a second input port placed at a second selected location on the exterior of the head; a second detector adapted to detect, at a second detection port placed at a selected location on the exterior of the head, radiation of the selected wavelength that has migrated along the migration path in the brain from the second input port to the second detection port, and processing means adapted to process signals of the detected radiation that has migrated in the brain from the second input port to the second detection port to create second processed data, wherein the evaluation means determine the characteristic of the brain activity by correlating both first mentioned and the second processed data with the caused stimulation of the brain.
This system is adapted to introduce the radiation simultaneously at the two input ports or sequentially at the first input port and detected at the first detection port, and subsequently introduce the radiation at the second input port and detected at the second detection port.
According to another aspect of the invention a cognition spectrophotometer system for transcranial examination of brain activity by measuring changes in electromagnetic radiation scattered and absorbed in a migration path in the brain is provided. The cognition system comprises a first light source and a second light source adapted to introduce electromagnetic radiation of a selected wavelength into the brain simultaneously at a first input port and at a second input port; the first input port and the second input port being placed at a first selected location and a second selected location on the exterior of the head, respectively; a first detector and a second detector adapted to detect simultaneously, at a first detection port placed at a selected location on the exterior of the head, radiation that has migrated in the brain from the first input port to the first detection port and, at a second detection port placed at second selected location on the exterior of the head, radiation that has migrated in the brain from the second input port to the second detection port; stimulation means adapted to cause stimulation of a brain activity while introducing the radiation at the first and second input ports and while detecting radiation at the first and second detection ports; processing means adapted to process signals of the detected radiation that has migrated in the brain to create processed data; and evaluation means adapted to determine a characteristic of the brain activity by correlating the processed data to the caused stimulation of the brain activity.
Preferred embodiments of this aspect of the invention have one or more of the following features. The system has the first input port and the first output port located on one parietal bone (or temporal bone), separated by a predetermined distance, in order to localize migration of the radiation in a selected region of the respective hemisphere of the brain, and the second input port and the second output port located on the other parietal bone (or temporal bone), separated by a predetermined distance, in order to localize migration of the radiation in a selected region of the other hemisphere of the brain.
The system""s processing means are further adapted to compare electromagnetic radiation detected at the first and second detection ports to create processed data representing a differential signal.
The processing of the detected radiation can comprise Fourier transformation.
The stimulation means are adapted to cause visual stimulation, acoustic stimulation, or sensorimotor stimulation.
The evaluation means can be adapted to examine pathophysiological properties of the brain tissue or cognitive function of a selected region of the brain based on correlation between the processed data and the caused stimulation of the brain activity.
The system""s first and second light sources are tungsten lamps or light emitting diodes. The first or second detectors are silicon diodes or light-to-frequency convertors each with an interference filter adapted to detect the radiation of the selected wavelength.
The processing means comprise differential counter adapted to register differential signals received from the light-to-frequency convertors, clocking means adapted to route signals of the detected radiation from the light-to-frequency convertors to the differential counter, a frequency-to-voltage converter adapted to convert signals from the differential counter and/or a fast Fourier transformer adapted to process differential signal from the frequency-to-voltage converter.
The evaluation means comprise a storage oscilloscope adapted to analyze the Fourier transformed differential signal of the fast Fourier transformer, and/or computational means adapted to analyze the differential signal.
According to another aspect of the invention a cognition spectrophotometer system for transcranial examination of brain activity by measuring changes in light scattered and absorbed in a migration path in the brain is provided. The system comprises the above-described oximeter, stimulation means adapted to cause stimulation of a brain activity while introducing the light using the light source and while detecting the light that migrated in the localized tissue of interest of the brain, processing means adapted to process signals of the detected light that has migrated in the brain to create processed data, and evaluation means adapted to determine a characteristic of the brain activity by correlating the processed data to the caused stimulation of the brain activity.
According to another aspect, the invented system enables examination of a tissue of an organ by measuring changes in electromagnetic radiation scattered and absorbed in a migration path in the organ. The examination is performed by the steps of (a) introducing electromagnetic radiation of a selected wavelength into the organ simultaneously at a first input port and at a second input port; the first input port being placed at a first selected location, and a second selected location, respectively; (b) detecting simultaneously, at a first detection port placed at a selected location on the exterior of the head, radiation that has migrated in the organ from the first input port to the first detection port and, at a second detection port placed at second selected location on the exterior of the organ, radiation that has migrated in the brain from the second input port to the second detection port; (c) processing signals corresponding to radiation detected at the first and second detection port that have migrated in the brain to create first and second processed data, respectively; and (d) determining a selected property of the organ tissues by correlating the processed first and second data.
The organ can be the brain, breast, limb, etc. If the organ is the brain, then the first input port and the first output port are located on one parietal bone (or temporal bone), separated by a predetermined distance, in order to localize migration of the radiation in a selected region of the respective hemisphere of the brain, and the second input port and second output port are located on the other parietal bone (or temporal bone), separated by a predetermined distance, in order to localize migration of the radiation in a selected region of the other hemisphere of the brain.